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Not quite depressed enough, or desperate enough, to lose a leg over it, Alex merely admired the boat from the shore It didn’t appear to be inhabited, and when the soft waves eased the port side of the boat toward him, he saw the craft’s name painted in sleek letters on the side CLAIRE, it read

"That’s curious," Alex said, louder than before

"Curious Curious Curious," three platyprots echoed from the trees above

Alex looked up "Whose is it?"

The platyprots looked this way and that, and shrugged "Whose is it?" they said to one another, before collapsing in fits of giggles

Alex, feeling overly sensitive and wondering if the creatures werehim, decided it was best for hile, surprised to see no one at all walking about the grounds Had he ed, not really caring He was getting used to being left out Slowly he followed the shoreline back to the mansion and slipped inside the enorrily "Why arrren’t you in yourrr rrrooht, for the statue had never addressed his "I--I--I was out for a walk, is all!"

Florence, the other statue, fired off a heated look at Siain and whirled around to face her He’d never heard her speak before "We are under lockdown Did you forget about the governors’ semiannual inspection today?"

"What? What? I don’t knohat you are talking about!"

"Your blackboard has been inforave out the warning and the instructions yesterday," Florence said

"I … don’t have a warrior instructor," Alex said, and he was surprised to feel hot tears springing to his eyes He blinked them away rapidly

"Ah," said Florence Her eyes narrowed "So You’re the one"

Simber hissed sharply at Florence